Ranking the Most Dynamic Freshmen Scorers in College Basketball in 2014-15
The youngsters are putting quite a stamp on this young college basketball campaign.
These elite freshmen, with their invisible ceilings, capture headlines and imaginations around the country. But their impact is also very real on the court, whether they are the well-known blue-chippers or those who arrived to less fanfare.
Here are 10 freshmen who have, thus far, proved to be adept at putting the ball in the hole for their teams. Some of the names may be familiar, some less so. They are ranked based on scoring output, scoring versatility and scoring efficiency.
And don't forget: This is a list of the most dynamic freshmen scorers right now. It's not a list of the best freshmen overall or the highest offensive ceilings. It's all right now.
10. Eric Paschall, Fordham
1 of 10
Position: Shooting guard
Points per game: 18.1
Eric Paschall provides a twinkle of optimism in what has so far been another forgettable campaign for the 3-5 Rams.
He's a versatile player (he is used a lot at small forward, too) who can hit a variety of outside shots. And when he gets to the rim, Paschall has the hops to elevate over just about anything in his path.
9. Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall
2 of 10
Position: Shooting guard
Points per game: 12.9
Isaiah Whitehead rose to prominence at Brooklyn's famed Lincoln High, in part because of the ferocious way he attacked the basket. He's carried that over to Seton Hall. He's not afraid of contact and is third on the team in free throws attempted.
Whitehead has been pretty streaky so far, following up a 23-point, eight-of-15 shooting night against Wichita State, for example, with a five-point, two-of-11 performance against St. Peter's. He'll have to tighten that up, but he's already shown he has the talent to be a force in the Big East for some time.
8. Melo Trimble, Maryland
3 of 10
Position: Point guard
Points per game: 15.8
Melo Trimble has performed above his years in College Park, helping to steady a team reeling from roster defections and pushing it to one of its best starts in years.
The high-energy Trimble has been a rock for the Terps, failing to score in double digits only once this season. With team leader Dez Wells missing the last six games with an injury, Trimble has stepped up, averaging a team-high 17 points per contest during that stretch.
Oddly, the Terrapins, despite being 10-1, have yet to play a road game. That changes Sunday, when the team travels to Oklahoma State. That will be an interesting test for Trimble and the Terps.
7. Dillon Brooks, Oregon
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Position: Small forward
Points per game: 15.4
Dillon Brooks came to Eugene with plenty of pedigree. Another in a recent line of mega-talented Canadian players, Brooks played his high school ball at Nevada's prestigious Findlay Prep. Then he led Canada's under-18 team in scoring during the summer's FIBA World Championships.
Listed at 6'6", Brooks has a mid-range game that's pretty tough to defend, and he also has the handle and size to get inside. As if that weren't enough, he can also score from behind the arc, where he is hitting at a 40-percent clip.
6. Karl-Anthony Towns, Kentucky
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Position: Center
Points per game: 8.5
The consensus top-five draft pick and potential future franchise player is making plenty of impact in the present. Though Kentucky's unreal depth limits his minutes and statistical output, he still manages to put up impressive lines.
Towns has great nimbleness and a marvelous shooting stroke for someone who stands 6'11". Though his range is often a bit overstated (he's only 1-of-5 on three-point attempts this season), his mid-range game is pretty darn deadly. But unlike some other shooting bigs, Towns is not soft and perfectly capable of playing heavy inside the paint.
A nifty hook shot anchors his post game, but he could still use some more development there. That will come in time, though I'm sure the Wildcats are perfectly happy with what they have right now.
5. Rashad Vaughn, UNLV
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Position: Shooting guard
Points per game: 17.5
Rashad Vaughn is the do-it-all guard for the resurgent Runnin' Rebels, and scoring is at the top of the to-do list.
He's been a little inconsistent with his shot, but the stove has been hot of late, as he went for 18 points on 7-of-16 shooting against South Dakota. He then had a big 25 points on 9-of-17 shooting in an overtime win over Portland.
He's an unselfish player who is really good at finishing in transition and off the dribble. He can also hit very tough shots, which can be a bit of a curse in disguise, as he sometimes attempts some really wild stuff.
Still, he's just one of those guys who seems to know where the basket is at all times. And more often than not, he can get the ball in the hole when it counts.
4. Stanley Johnson, Arizona
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Position: Small forward
Points per game: 14.5
If this was a ranking of the best freshmen overall (or the best pro prospects), Stanley Johnson might be ranked even higher.
But even as it is, Johnson still rates pretty highly. The 6'8", rock-solid wing is a conundrum on any defensive whiteboard. And the stats bear that out: He leads the third-ranked Wildcats in scoring behind a 50-percent shooting average.
First and foremost, Johnson is a freight train heading toward the basket, cutting through defenders like cream cheese left in the Arizona sun. And he's got a little sugar in his game, too, employing ball fakes, post-ups and nice handle to get his shot off.
His three-point shot was supposed to be a bit of a liability. But so far, he's making about 39 percent of his attempts from out there. That's not too shabby.
3. D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State
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Position: Shooting guard
Points per game: 18.0
The 6'5" guard wears the number zero, and his game conjures up that of another famous zero: a one Mr. Gilbert Arenas.
The left-handed D'Angelo Russell is riding a smooth shooting stroke and a nasty handle to big success at Ohio State. He has also become one of the nation's most prolific scorers among freshmen or any other cohort.
Russell shoots about 48 percent from the floor, which is really good, especially for a guard. He also makes 43 percent of his three-point attempts. And though he doesn't get to the free-throw line a whole lot, he does make 85 percent of his shots when he does get to the stripe.
He's only scored fewer than 14 points once, making him one of the most consistent freshman scorers as, well as one of the most dynamic. Russell has a tough test ahead of him Saturday when he takes on Marcus Paige and the No. 24 North Carolina Tar Heels.
2. Jahlil Okafor, Duke
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Position: Center
Points per game: 17.4
Jahlil Okafor is the best player on the nation's second-best team. On the offensive end, he may be the hardest player to deal with in the whole country.
Okafor has that old-school game, but he adds some new-school flair. In his huge hands, the ball is almost an extension of his body. He plays with his back to the basket and has all sorts of post moves. He's not going to step back for a three or throw down some mind-bending dunk. What he will do is bang on you, get himself in position and just score, over and over again.
When you shoot 65 percent from the field, you might just be a decent scorer. That is insane. He has hit double figures in each of Duke's 10 games. And even when he's comparatively quiet—that 13-point performance against Wisconsin, for example, in which he dueled with senior Frank Kaminsky—he's still deadly efficient. In the 80-70 win over the Badgers, Okafor hit six of his eight shot attempts.
There's a reason why he's considered the top pick in next year's NBA draft.
1. James Blackmon Jr., Indiana
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Position: Shooting guard
Points per game: 19.2
In college basketball right now, it doesn't get any more dynamic among the freshmen than James Blackmon, Jr.
Don't believe me? Check this out. Or this, thrown down on Louisville beast big Montrezl Harrell, no less.
It's true that Blackmon doesn't have the complete game or the high profile as some other freshmen like Texas big man Myles Turner, who just missed out on this list. What sets Blackmon apart?
First, those crazy hops. Despite being listed at 6'4" (and that might be generous), Blackmon lives above the rim. If SportsCenter still had sports highlights, Blackmon would be on them. Frequently.
But his real stock in trade is his money-in-the-bank shooting. He launches six threes a game on average, and he makes 46 percent of them—only four percent fewer than his also-impressive overall shooting percentage.
That's a pretty killer combination. And it has led to Blackmon being the highest scorer among all freshmen and the 8-2 Hoosiers, who are the fourth-highest scoring team in the country.
He has scored in double figures every time out and has surpassed 20 points on four occasions. He scores in bunches and from everywhere on the court, and he is fun to watch. It's time Blackmon gets some more run on the national stage. He's earned it.
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